Mr Grey
by LadyGrey50
Summary: When his father forces him to find a wife before the summers end, Mr. Grey finds himself enchanted by Miss Steele, a young woman determined to marry for love or not at all.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Mr Grey

Mr. Grey was a gentleman. He was known far and wide as a man to know and befriend. Not only did he received fifteen thousand pounds a year but he was set to inherit his father's vast wealth and holdings. He was known to be quiet man, staying out of the limelight at parties and events. He was polite but aloof, he preferred the company of men and wasted no time with ladies and dancing when business could be done. He was revered as an honorable man; A scholar, a skilled gunsman, a shrewd businessman and loyal friend. He traveled quite a bit to far off exotic lands; Jamaica, India, Spain, the Americas. His father's businesses in cotton, silk and spices kept him busy. Mr. Grey didn't need to work, but he enjoyed the extensive travel, the sounds and smells of the countries he visited and the freedom that accompanied the long stays away from England. England often felt like shackles around his wrists and a noose around his neck. The restrictions of society and his father's watchful eye were a heavy weight. His one regret was the time spent away from his younger sister, Miss. Mia Grey.

She was just a month away from sixteen and her first season was about to begin. She was a beautiful girl, tall and lean with pale golden blonde hair and green eyes, the image of their dearly departed mother Mrs. Grace Grey. Mia was also talented and bright. She could play the piano beautifully and her voice was that of an angel. She was kind and trusting and eager to fall and love and become a wife. He knew she would be a target for men of all ages, five thousand pounds a year was more than enough to keep any man happy and he worried that she would attract the wrong kind of man. He wanted to find her a husband - the right husband. He had a small hope that his friend, John Taylor would be a viable candidate. Though he was a widow and eight years her senior, Christain hoped that a match would be made between them this summer.

He himself had managed to stay single, which was quite a feat for being on the cusp of eight and twenty. His father had put his foot down and demanded that he choose a wife by the fall. For all his power and strength he was no match for his father's will and knew that he could not prolong the inevitable any longer. He would choose a simple rich wife. A woman who understood the nature of wealth and the kind of marriage that interested him. A marriage of money and convenience, nothing more. A marriage that would allow him the distractions of travel and the company of others. He saw first hand what his father went through after his mother died last fall. He had no desire to form such an attachment. In his travels he was able to find the comfort of women, enjoy their time together and move on without argument or resentment. Mr. Grey had no desire to change his lifestyle, a wife was simply a means to an end. Yes, he would choose a rich and simple wife, of that he was sure.

Miss Ana Steele was a lady of no money or standing nor was she simple. Her father, Mr. Raymond Steele married her mother, Carina Hopewell, for love against his father's wishes. And while he was a doctor by trade he received no monthly wage from his father's vast estate, even after he passed. Instead Mr. Steele kept a small cottage in the country outside of Manchester and helped the less fortunate in exchange for what they could afford in coin or in chickens or pigs. Ana lived a happy life in spite of the lack of funds or station. Even after her mother's untimely passing when she was four, Ana was resilient and was never far from her father side. She learned the fundamentals of medical care, farming, housekeeping, from her father and the more mundane tasks of sewing and needlepoint from Miss. Katherine Kavanaugh. A childhood friend whose station in life was well beyond hers but, Mr. Steele has saved young Katherine's father's life during a hunt and that made a bond between the two girls one that could not be broken. When Mr. Steele passed in the winter Miss. Steele was sent to live with her estranged aunt Mrs. Elizabeth Hyde. Mrs. Hyde was married to a Mr. Thomas Hyde of Hyde Bank. His wealth and power was second only to the Grey family and the rivalry between the Hyde's and Grey's was well known and talked about with eager mouths and open ears.

Ana didn't want to leave her small country town for the unknown that was Brighton but she knew she had no choice. It was her father's wish that she go live with his sister, find a husband and live out her life in peace. A peace that only money could provide. A peace that he could not afford her. Little did her father know the kind of man that Thomas Hyde was or that his son was far worse.

Ana did her best to stay out of everyone's way at the Hyde Estate. It's not that her aunt was unwelcoming. Quite the opposite, she was warm and lovely. A kind soul with deep blue eyes like her father's. It was her husband and step-son Mr. John Hyde known as Jack. They were shrewd and often lewd. Ana was always uncomfortable in their presence. Jack in particular made her uncomfortable. He looked at her in a way that no gentleman should. She could not imagine how her dear sweet aunt ever ended up in such a marriage. It was clearly one of her grandfathers design, one for money and position. Ana had a better understanding of why her father chose love over money and she knew she would do the same or not marry at all.

To avoid the Hydes as much as possible, Ana spent most of her days alone wandering along the vast property grounds or to the rocky Brighton beaches. She would knit or read, often singing songs her father taught her softly into the wind. Sometimes she would visit neighbors with her aunt and she enjoyed the tea and conversation but longed to be in her home once again in Greenfield, a small town on the outskirts of Manchester. All of her father's estate transferred to his sister and her husband, as Ana had no husband. Mr. Hyde had plans to sell the house and farm. He didn't need the money but he had no desire to be a landlord to peasants and wanted to be done with the property as soon as possible. Ana would write letters to her old neighbors and her best friend Kate, they would keep her abreast of all she was missing and if the place was still vacant. She was filled with dread at the idea that her home would one day belong to someone else. She tried not to think about her mother's grave, in the small cemetery of the church and that no one was there to bring her any flowers. Daisies were her favorite and the were in bloom all over Brighton. Ana would smile every time she saw them and try to remember the sound of her mother's voice. Ana also worried about their patients and who would care for them now that both she and her father were gone. She longed to sit in her father's chair by the fireplace and listen to him read. She longed to be surrounded by her friends in Greenfield excited to spend the summer together. She longed for a life she would never have again.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Miss Steele

It had started out as a beautiful early spring day. Mr. Grey and his childhood friend Mr. John Taylor spent the day on the road. They began their trip from London stopping half way and making camp overnight and were both eager to get to their final destination by nightfall. The Grey's had a very large estate in Brighton and it was decided by his father that would be the best place for him to secure a wife. It also gave him the opportunity to keep a close watch on his dear sister. His father Lord Carrick Grey had given him six months. Frankly, he needed a break from work and travel. He was looking forward to some time away from London and the businesses. He had asked the oldest and most trusted friend to accompany him. John was also in need of a spouse, his first wife had died fours years earlier from influenza and he had never fully recovered from the loss. Christian believed that this time would be beneficial for his friend as well and hoped all his plans for John and Mia would come to fruition.

They were barely 10 miles from the gates of the Grey Estate when the sky went dark and the rain began to fall. It was a complete downpour and typical of April. But it agitated Christian nonetheless. They pressed on through the worst of it for several miles and just like that rain was done and the skies were blue once again.

He saw her in the distance, a small girl in a pale blue dress soaked in mud and rain. A large dog at her side. For a moment he thought she was a child but as his horse drew closer she was arguably the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Dark brown hair, pale skin, large blue eyes and a broad smile, she was stunning, even covered in mud. The dog barked and growled at their approach. Ana did her best to stop him, pulling on the makeshift leash in vain. All she managed to accomplish was to have herself dragged into the brush adding a new layer of mud to her once blue skirts.

"Solomon. Sit. Behave yourself." She laughed as she pulled herself out of the mud. Both men had dismounted and were at her side in an instant but Ana was too bemused with her situation to care.

"Miss, can we help you." It was John who spoke first much to Christian's aggravation.

"I am fine, Sir. Thank you. My aunt's house is just up the way." She pointed in the direction of the Hyde Estate and Christian grimaced. Both John and Ana noticed his slight.

"Are you sure, you took quite a fall."

"I assure you I am unharmed. This mongrel loves to toss me about from time to time." Solomon was now seated calmly beside Ana, his gaze never leaving the two men who stood before her. In vain Ana tried to straighten herself and look presentable, she was in the presence of two gentlemen after all. "I was minutes away from the house when the rain started and now here I am, drenched to the bone." Both men stared at her for a moment. Neither knowing what to do or say next. They were bewitched by her beauty and the way she carried herself was different than any woman either of the men had ever encountered. She lacked the grace and sophistication they were accustomed to but in its place was an enchanting magic neither man had ever experienced.

"I am Mr. John Taylor." She curtsied at the introduction and smiled "And this is Mr. Christian Grey." Her blue eyes went wide at the sound of his name.

"Ah, the illustrious Mr. Grey. You have been much anticipated?" Clearly taken aback by her candor the John could not help but laugh at Christians sheer horror.

"Is that so Miss..."He spoke with tight lips and tense shoulders.

"Steele. Miss. Ana Steele. And yes that is so, Mr. Grey. All the single young ladies over the age of sixteen have their hearts a flutter that you're here to choose a wife before the leaves turn brown and gold." John laughed loudly, rarely was a lady so bold. Christian was also bemused by her candor, she was clearly not brought up in proper society. "You should know they are all planning and plotting to woo you. All the ladies have purchased new dresses and gloves. The seamstresses have been working deep into the nights in preparation. Should make for an interesting summer."

"Interesting indeed." John playfully punched his friend in the shoulder but Christian was unflinching.

"And what about you, Miss Steele? Are you not a flutter as well?" He crossed his arms against his broad chest waiting for her response.

"Me!" She exclaimed, trying to hold back laughter as she looked up and down at her mud soaked dress and pushed a wayward hair from her brow. "I am nearly three and twenty an old maid by anyone's standards, nor do I have wealth or property. Nor a wish to marry. I think you are safe with me, Mr. Grey." She laughed wholeheartedly and the men couldn't help but join in.

"Indeed, I am. How long are you in Brighton?"

"For the foreseeable future. My father passed this winter and I am staying with my aunt."

"You're Aunt is Mrs. Hyde? She nodded yes "How are you finding Mr. Hyde?" Christian knew of the temperment of both Mr. Hydes. They were often cruel, usually vuglar and he worried that this sweet girl was left a sheep amongst the wolves. She began to speak several times with a furrowed brow, conflicted on how to answer. Should she be honest or should she answer with decorum. Both Christian and John felt her struggle and they fully understood her situation.

"Very well. They have been very kind to open their doors to me. I had never met my Aunt before I came here. She and my father were estranged. It was kind of her to take a stranger in." When Ana was nervous she would ramble on without thought to her words and today was no exception. There was a long and awkward pause between the new acquaintances and Ana felt her cheeks begin to redden with embarrassment. "Well, I have to be getting back. It was a pleasure to meet you both. Good day." She gave them a quick curtsy. The men both tipped their hats and watched for a moment as she walked away.

"Miss Steele." Christian called out, surprised by his own boldness. She stopped and turned back to him. "My sister Mia is in town, you should pay her a call this week. Perhaps tomorrow. I'll tell her to expect you?"

"Yes, of course, Mr. Grey. Tomorrow around noon."

"Wonderful." John looked at him, perplexed by his friend's unusual behavior. Christain looked back at him annoyed and turned to mount horse.

"Wonderful?" John teased, realizing any thoughts he had to court were out the window. Cleary Christain had plans of his own.

"Oh, shut up, John. Let's go."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Eleanor Wainwright Grey

The next day, Miss Steele walked to the Grey Estate slowly and with caution. She didn't want to sully the hem on her dress with dirt from the road or let the april wind put her hair out of place. She had chosen her best dress, a pale yellow cotton with pink rosebuds. She had no interest in Mr. Grey or Mr. Taylor but she wanted to make a good impression on Mia Grey. Perhaps they could become friends, something she had been dearly lacking since moving to Brighton. She knew very little of Miss Grey, no one spoke of her the way they did of Mr. Grey so she was curious to find out.

When her aunt asked Ana where she was going all dressed up, she lied and said for a walk and that her blue dress was still drying from yesterday. She was hoping that no one would notice that she was leaving Solomon behind. Her aunt took Ana at her word and she was on her way. She was not sure why she lied but he could sense the tension when Mr. Grey said the name Hyde and she didn't want her aunt put in a position that would make Mr. Hyde angry. She had seen him angry only once and it was quite enough.

The Grey Manor was massive and the grounds were immaculate. She had never seen grass so green and trees so lush and perfectly formed. There were daisies everywhere on the property along with roses of every shade of pink, and lavender almost as tall as she was. There was a large square fountain surrounded by perfectly trimmed boxwood and a white marble statue of a man in a fighting stance. The house was the largest she had ever seen and more beautiful than the town gossip could even articulate. It was wide and tall, almost shaped like a U with a large wide staircase that opened to a veranda. It was true to its name in color, a pale gray stone with crisp white accents. Set atop the roof was a bell tower with golden peak that shone in the early afternoon sun. As the clock struck noon it began to chime and Ana jumped, startled by the sound.

Ana stood at the front door for a moment too nervous to knock. She has never been in such a fine house before and she didn't know how to behave. After a few moments she mustered up the nerve, it was just a house after all. She knocked at the door and was greeted by an older maid, a robust woman with soft eyes and weathered hands. She had a deep accent, similar to her friends back in Manchester and she felt so familiar. Ana felt immediately at ease.

"Follow me Miss Steele and I'll get you settled. Miss Mia is just finishing up a music lesson." She sat Ana in a large parlor. The walls were covered in a softly painted but ornate mural of horses and men at hunt. The sofa's were a rich green velvet and detailed in gold. "She will be out shortly. She's looking forward to meeting you, Miss. Steele. Can I get you some tea?"

"That would be lovely thank you, Miss…"

"Oh, you can call me Gale because that is my name, love."

"Thank you Miss Gale."

"It's just Gale. We are not as formal around here as you would think." Gale gave Ana a wink as she hurried off to get the tea and Ana was surprised by the maid informally. She assumed that the maids at Grey Manor would be proper and quiet.

"Good Afternoon, Miss Steele." He stood before her, hands behind his back. There was no smile on his face nor was there a welcoming tone. Mr. Grey had regretted inviting her to meet Mia. John continued to tease him throughout the night because of it. He had no interest in a poor girl with ties to the Hyde's, his plan was set. But he did hope that Miss Steele and Mia would become friends. Mia could use another set of eyes on her this summer and Miss Steele was the perfect candidate.

"Mr. Grey. Hello. Good to see you again." He nodded and sat in the chair beside her.

"You are much drier than last we spoke." She chucked at his joke.

"As are you, sir."

"I didn't see your carriage arrive. I wasn't sure if you were here."

"I didn't take a carriage. Mr. Hyde is… particular about his horses so I walked."

"That's at least five miles. Surely he would have let you use the carriage for a trip that far."

"Perhaps he would have but I didn't tell him I was coming." She had her gloved hands folded in her lap as she spoke, her eyes never left her hands. He watched her intently, trying to figure out the dynamic between her and the Hyde's.

"I see."

"I got the impression that you and he were not on the best of terms. I didn't want him to tell me I couldn't come."

"I assure you, he would not do that. He would want to, but he wouldn't. But I understand why you didn't tell him. You will take my carriage home."

"I think it would be worse for him to see me in your carriage."

"We can stop before we reach the gates and go undetected. We don't need you getting caught in the rain again, now do we?"

"No, we don't." She chuckled and her face lit up like the stars in the sky.

"So tell me, where are you from Miss. Steele?"

"I was born in a small town outside on Manchester called Greenfield." His eyes grew wide and then sharpened once again. "Do you know it?"

"I do. My maternal grandmother, Eleanor Grey was born and lived there. She was Eleanor Wainwright then." Ana recognized the name. The Wainwrights were once pillars of the community. They had an estate not far from Greenfield that burned to the ground killing most of the family.

"I know the story about the Wainwrights and the fire. It was lore in our county that the whole estate was cursed and haunted. All the Wainwrights are all buried in Greenfield at the church."

"It was tragic, her first husband Matthew, his father and mother, brother William, most of the staff were all trapped. Grandmother was in London at the time visiting her sisters. She never got over the loss of him."

"I can't imagine getting over a loss like that."

"She married my grandfather two years later and it was not by choice, her father demanded it. She did get the last laugh though. She refused to be buried here beside my grandfather and was instead buried at the little church beside Matthew." It was quite the scandal when Mrs. Grey wanted to be buried beside her first husband Lord Matthew Wainwright in Manchester and not beside Mr. Grey at the Manor. Carrick Grey honored his mother's wishes. He understood why she didn't want to be buried beside his father better than anyone.

"My mother was buried there too." They both looked at one another for a moment. "I remember you. It was 10 or 11 years ago."

"You had all the daisies."

"I did. And you had the roses. Gale was with you. I watched the service."

"Gale was my grandmother maid and my nanny. I knew there was something familiar about you. I was up half the night trying to place it." He was complete in shock and awe. It was right after his grandmother has passed. They had the service at the small white stone church in Greenfield. He had just turned seventeen, still not a man quite yet but eager to become one. He stood stoically beside his father for the entirety of the service. Afterwards the family gathered and Christian wandered around the property out of boredom. She was sitting under a tree, a bundle of daisies at her side. He remembered talking to her about the weather, his grandmother and her mother but over the years the hour they spent talking to one another drifted away, until now. Every detail of that day flooded back to his memory.

"The world is very small, Mr. Grey."

"That it is, Miss Steele."

"Do you still go back to visit her grave?"

"I haven't in years."

"You should go and if you do, please leave my mother some daisies."

Before he could answer Mia bounded into the room, as fresh and vibrant as she ever was. She was always at her best after a music lesson.

"Miss Steele! It is such a pleasure to meet you."

The group of three sat together drinking tea and talked about the weather, music, the upcoming season. Mia was intrigued by Ana simply because her brother wanted them to meet, she could not recall another time where he had shown any attention to her female friends. Mia knew that he was tasked at finding a wife and she hoped and prayed it would be someone she could call a sister and not some stuffy, snooty lady who hated music and dogs. Christian watched their interaction intently, his hopes for their friendship were founded, he would ask Ana to be Mia's secret guardian. He would even offer a small wage for her time and effort, though he was sure she would decline. He could not believe that the girl woman he saw yesterday drenched in mud and rain was the same girl he remembered from the morning of his grandmother's funeral. He thought of that day from time to time and the child from his memories became a beacon of hope and innocence. She mourned her mother with a grace and fortitude that even was impressed by. She offered him comfort that day, something no one else had.

"Ana, would you please come back tomorrow and bring Solomon with you. Christian won't allow me to have a dog."

"It's not that I won't allow it. You are too busy and far to involved in your piano to show a dog proper attention."

"I would love to, I felt awful leaving him today." There was a twinge of fear in her voice. "Mr. Hyde is not fond of dogs, I had to beg to bring him with me from Greenfield. My aunt had to convince him. I am always worried that when I leave him, I will come back and he will be gone." He realized in that moment how much Ana has lost. Her mother, her father, her friends, her home. The only thing she had was that silly dog and even that was at risk.

"Well, he is always welcome when you come here, Miss Steele."

"Thank you, Mr. Grey."

"If for nothing else it will dissuade Mia from wanting one."

When it was time to leave, Christian offered his carriage and Ana declined, still worried about Mr. Hyde but both Christian and Mia convinced her to take it. Christian had plans to dine Mr. and Mrs. Lincoln that evening so he would be passing the Hyde estate anyway. sat across from one another on the bumpy worn road in the finest carriage Ana had ever seen. She wondered if the people who got to travel and love in such finery really enjoyed it and understood the gift and the blessing that they had.

"Miss Steele, I have a favor to ask you. A favor that I do not take lightly."

"I hope that I can accommodate you, Mr. Grey but I don't know what I can possibly offer you."

"Mia… This is her first season. She is a very wealthy woman and I worry that her tender heart will be wooed by the wrong man. One who is looking at her wealthy and beauty and not her heart. I was hoping that you would watch after her as a guardian of sorts and report back to me anything of note. I would of course pay you for your time and efforts."

"Mr. Grey, I don't know if I can spy on your sister."

"No, you would not be spying. I would only want to know if you felt someone had the wrong intentions. That is all. You appear to be a very good judge of character. Mia is not. It is very important to me that she is safe and cared for. I can't be everywhere at all times."

"I couldn't accept payment. I will look over her. I will not give you reports or answer any of your questions but I will let you know if I believe there to be trouble on the horizon."

"Fine. I accept your conditions but I will require a weekly update of her state of mind. Nothing specific just if she is taking a liking to someone or not, is she happy. Things like that." He couldn't understand why but the idea of seeing Miss Steele at least once a week made him happy. Ana thought to deny him the request, she did not want to invade Mia's privacy but if she didn't agree she was sure that Mr. Grey would find someone else who will be even more intrusive. With a nod and a smile the contract was made. "Good. I think we should let you off here, it's just half a mile from Hyde's."

"Thank you for the ride, Mr. Grey."

"I meet you here tomorrow at noon. And don't forget that mongrel, Solomon."


End file.
